Resentment
by Tsukino Yukihime
Summary: WARNING: Not Steve Rogers friendly What if Pepper blames Steve for Tony's death? What if Rhodey never forgives Steve? This what-if story after Tony's death. Hope you guys enjoy.
1. Pepper

Pepper kneeled in front of her husband's battered and broken body. Fire and smoke everywhere. Her hand shook from broken heart. She gasped for air as she tried to stay strong for Peter. Yet, she looked broken and lost. The proud, respected, and strong woman was now broken and lost. Steve gently put his hand on her shoulder. She looked back and recoiled. Fire burned in her eyes. Gone the broken look and came the edges. She look at him with the intent to destroy.

Steve looked in pain and full of grief. "Pepper, I'm—"

"Don't! You have no right to say it! " Pepper's body tense as if she's holding herself from killing him.

"Pepper, please. I understand, Tony is, was my friend."

"Friend?" Electricity ran through her body. Her blood boiled like molten lava. Palms clenched on both side of her body. Her blue eyes harden piercing. Pepper stood up and faced Steve.

"Friend does not lie to his friend. Friend does not use his friend's money to find the one who killed his friend's parents. Friend does not abandon his friend to die in cold Siberia. Friend does not barge into his friend's life and manipulate them to help him!" Pepper panted.

With every words she said, Steve looked more and more in pain. His body hunched, eyes looked at Pepper begging for her to stop. Alas, her heart already turned into ice. Fire burned in her veins. Clear blue eyes turned into stormy


	2. Rhodey

A single glass filled with whiskey gleamed under the dim light, promising to take away the pain. How many he had drank? How many more he had to drink to forget the pain? To forget his best friend, his beloved little brother?

Rhodey sat in the dark corner of the bar, far away from the festive atmosphere of having back their loved ones. And, here were he, destroying the mood. A dark chuckle left his mouth. A bitter smile on his lips. A finger trailed on the rim of the glass

"Hey, Rhodey."

Rhodey raised his head and looked back at his drink.

"What are the two of you doing here?"

Sam and Steve stood a few steps away from his table. Sympathy in their eyes pierced his soul, made him uncomfortable and angry.

"We thought you need a friend, or two, to talk about... this," said Sam as he took a seat in front Rhodey.

"I know what you're feeling right now. I also lost a friend." Bitter smiled played on Sam's lips. Fingers intertwined to hide the slight shake. "I just want to say, I understand and it's okay to feel like this."

Rhodey stayed quiet. His mind played memory after memory of his time with Tony. He chugged down his drink, relished from the burn, chased away the lump in his throat. His hand raised to take the whiskey bottle. However, a white hand snatched it away.

"Give it to me, Rogers!" Snarled Rhodey without raising his head.

"Please, Rhodey. This isn't okay."

Rhodey gave bitter laugh. "What do you know? You never lost a brother."

Bloodshot eyes looked at Steve. "After all, your sweet dearest Bucky is alive, right?"

Steve dropped the bottle on the table, creating a clatter. Rhodey took it and poured it into his glass. He raised the glass, gleaming under the light, towards Steve.

"Ah, yes. How I forgot? You lied, killed, and blackmailed others just to save your Bucky," spat Rhodey. "I cheers for you, may you have a fucking good life."

Hand curled, head straight, and piercing blue eyes, Steve glared at Rhodey. "Bucky is innocent! The world already ask too much from him! He has the right to be himself! He has the right to enjoy his life!"

Rhodey put down his glass, looked straight at Steve. Stone cold look on his face. "So does Tony."


	3. Peter

"So, Steve, what are we going to do, now?" Sam gazed on the lake, calm and quiet.

Steve stood beside Sam, watching the water flows as if it took away his burden. "I don't know. I'm going to return the stones, and... I'll see where the roads take me."

"Please, Dr. Strange."

Sam and Steve looked at each other. They knew that voice. As one, they walked towards the source. There, they found Peter and Stephen arguing.

"Peter, son, we can't." Stephen put his hand on Peter's shoulder, trying to calm him down, to comfort, to give strength.

Voice heavy with pain and grief. Eyes clouded with unshed tears. "Please, Dr. Strange, I, it's my fault. Please, let me do it," begged Peter.

"Peter, it is not your fault. Never."

"IT IS! Tony's dead! And, and it's all my fault!" Tears fell down from Peter's eyes. He looked down at his feet. "It's all my faut. I, I should have listened. I should have done better. I, why I didn't? Why? It should have been me?"

Peter wailed to the world for all to listen, wishing someone to fulfill his wish to bring back the man who he seen as a father. His shoulder shook. His knees buckled, no longer capable stood under the warring strom in his heart. On his knees, Peter looked up to Stephen and begged for him to fulfill his wish.

Looking at the scene, Steve couldn't stand aside. He understood the pain of losing loved ones, of feeling incapable of doing anything. He walked towards Peter. His steps heavy as he remembered the lost he had. A hand stopped him. He looked back at the owner of that hand. Sam stood behind him, giving him a pained look and a shake, telling him to step away. Steve couldn't understand. Why? He only wanted to help. He pulled his hand away, ignoring the warning, and walked. A few steps separated him from Peter.

"Peter," Steve called.

Stephen looked up from Peter and glared at Steve. A silent warning to leave.

Steve was confused. He never met this man before. He didn't do anything that warrant that look. He shook his head. He would ask this later to Stephen. He continued to walk closer towards Peter.

Stephen pulled Peter from the ground to his side as if protecting him from the danger that coming from him. "Rogers, leave!"

Steve glared at Stephen. Unhappy for his action. Steve only wanted to help Peter. Why Stephen couldn't see that?

"Hey, Peter, it's okay. I understand," said Steve, full of sympathy. "I also lost people I love. It's hard, but it will be okay."

"Rogers. Leave, now!" ordered Stephen.

"Peter, why don't we talk about it, okay?"

"Last warning, leave!"

"I know. It feels like it's your fault, but it isn't. It never been your fault. We just have to accept that it's a part of life. And, sometimes it's their fault, too, and not us."

"That's it!" Stephen let go Peter. His hands glowed with power, but before he could cast a spell, a lanky hand punched Steve.

Steve landed on the ground. Jaw bruised. He raised his left hand to touch his jaw. He was shocked. What did he do wrong?

Peter stood over him. Tear stained cheeks, yet fury in his eyes. Body hunched over Steve. A snarl on his lips. He raised his left hand towards Steve. Finger pointed.

"YOU!! You have no right to say it's Tony's fault. It's mine! I could have saved him, but I didn't! I could have moved faster, but I didnt! It's not Tony's fault! He is the greatest man I ever know. Don't you ever, ever blame him for anything!" roared Peter.

"Pete—" called Stephen, trying to stop Peter.

"Maybe, maybe you're right. Maybe it's not my fault. Maybe, it's never been my fault." Peter stood up straight. Eyes pierced at Steve, full of hate and contempt. "But, it's definitely your fault. If only you had listened to Tony, this would have never happened. If you had casted away your stupid ego, Tony would still been alive. But, no. Captain America is always right. He can't do any wrong. Fools. I hate you Steve Rogers. You are not worthy to be Captain America. I wish you're dead! I wish you stay frozen in your stupid ice! I wish you died instead of Tony! I wish you're never exist!"

Peter turned around and left. Sam walked towards Steve. He helped him to stand up. He opened his mouth to say a word, but someone cut him.

"Peter's right."

Sam and Steve looked up at Stephen.

"It's your fault. You should have listened."


	4. Morgan

"Morgan, baby, what are you doing here? It's already late," asked Pepper.

Morgan sat on the porch, hugging her iron man doll. Her cheeks flushed red from the cold night air. Her eyes watched the drive way as if she blinked, she would miss it.

"Mommy, when's Daddy will go home?" said Morgan without looking at Pepper.

Pepper gasped in pain. She felt the prick of tears in the corner of her eyes. She took a deep breath and sat down beside Morgan. She pulled her daughter into her arms.

"I'm so sorry, baby, but Daddy is not going back. He is–"

"But, Captain America went back, right? And, he's Daddy's friend. So, he must have saved, right? He wouldn't let die, right, Mommy?" Morgan raised her head, looking at Pepper with hope for her to not say otherwise.

Tears fell down from Pepper's eyes. She bit her lips. "I'm so sorry, baby. But, To, Daddy won't, won't come back."

"Why? Didn't Captain America save him, too?"

"I, I don't know."

"Why didn't he save my Daddy? Why he save everyone, but not my Daddy? Why he can have his happy ending, but not Daddy? Why Mommy?"

Morgan wailed as she finally understood her daddy, Tony, wouldn't be here with her. He wouldn't be there to teach her how to ride a bicycle. He wouldn't be there to accompany her to school. He wouldn't be there to teach her how to build her first circuit. He wouldn't be there to read a bed time story. He wouldn't be there to be with her. She would never see her daddy. Her small shook with uncontrollable grief and pain. She wailed to the silent sky asking for her daddy's return.

Pepper hug Morgan tightly. Her fell down from her eyes. She covered her lips to stop her from sobbing. She tried to stop the shaking of her shoulders. She tried to be strong her daughter. Alas, she failed. She couldn't stop the pain from overtaking her.

"I'm, I'm sorry, baby, I, I don't know. I don't know."


End file.
